2017 Training Camp Preview: LS Zak DeOssie

Long-time staple Zak DeOssie returns for another year.

There are three certainties in New York City sports: Eli Manning under center for the Giants, Henrik Lundqvist in the net for the Rangers, and Zak DeOssie at long snapper the Giants.

The son of Giants’ veteran Steve DeOssie returns for his 11th season at the helm for the Giants, the longest tenured member of Big Blue other than Manning.

DeOssie returned with a vengeance in 2016. Like his quarterback, DeOssie had been riding the momentum of a consecutive games played streak, appearing in 140 straight contests before a wrist injury cost him in the last four games of the 2015 season.

Last season, however, was another incident-free year, and DeOssie’s efforts were rewarded with a two-year contract extension this offseason.

Burning Questions

Just how long can DeOssie keep doing this?

Being a long snapper is like a superhero: If you’re doing your job right, nobody knows your name. While DeOssie has developed a unique connection among Giant fans for both his longevity and his special place in football history–he and his dad are the only father-son duo in football history to capture a Super Bowl with the same team–the younger DeOssie has mostly gotten by without disaster.

Some felt that his injury at the end of 2015 would cause the Giants to look at his employment as a year-to-year issue, but he’s signed on through 2018.

With that extension, DeOssie is on pace to at least tie his dad’s NFL tenure and, if he keeps up his pace, the possibility of breaking Michael Strahan’s record for most games played in Giant blue (216) is definitely worth talking about.

Outlook

Last training camp, the Giants brought in another long snapper, Tyler Ott, but DeOssie held his position. The extension more or less solidifies the monopoly he holds on the spot, but don’t expect his mindset or effort to dwindle in the slightest this coming year.

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